Cerca vs. cercano
The Spanish words 'cerca' and 'cercano' both refer to closeness. However, they are used in different grammatical contexts. To understand their correct use, we need to study their definitions and look at illustrative examples.
Cerca
'Cerca' is an adverb that refers to the location of someone or something in relation to another object, indicating a short distance or proximity without being specific about the exact measure. It is often used with the preposition 'de' to indicate closeness.
Vivo cerca de la estación.
(I live near the station.)
La tienda está cerca.
(The store is close by.)
¿Hay algún restaurante cerca?
(Is there a restaurant nearby?)
Cercano
'Cercano' is an adjective that describes the attribute of being close in terms of distance or relationship. As an adjective, it must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies, taking on forms such as 'cercana', 'cercanos', 'cercanas'.
Tengo una amiga cercana que siempre me apoya.
(I have a close friend who always supports me.)
Los días cercanos al evento estaban llenos de actividad.
(The days close to the event were full of activity.)
Las elecciones están próximas en fechas cercanas.
(The elections are coming up on close dates.)
Summary
In summary, while both 'cerca' and 'cercano' relate to proximity, 'cerca' functions as an adverb to denote physical closeness, often used with the preposition 'de'. In contrast, 'cercano' is an adjective that can refer to either spatial proximity or metaphorical closeness such as in relationships or timeframes. It must match the noun it describes in gender and number.